Wisdom is preached in conspicuous and most frequented places, that none may pretend want of admonition, 7. her doctrine is true, godly, profitable, and necessary to all sorts of men. 12. wisdom (increated which is God himself) is eternal. 32. and bringeth eternal happiness.Wisdom is preached in conspicuous and most frequented places, that none may pretend wante of admonition, 7. her doctrin is true, godlie, profitable, & necessarie to al sortes of men. 12. wisdom ( increated which is God himselfe ) is eternal. 32. and bringeth eternal happines.✦
Doth not wisdom cry, and prudence give her voice?DOTH not wisdom crie, and prudence geue her voice?✦Numquid non sapientia clamitat, et prudentia dat vocem suam ?
2Standing in the high and lofty tops over the way, in the midst of the paths,Standing in the high & loftie toppes ouer the way, in the middes of the pathes,✦In summis excelsisque verticibus supra viam, in mediis semitis stans,
3beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:beside the gates of the citie, in the verie doores she speaketh, saying:juxta portas civitatis, in ipsis foribus loquitur, dicens :
4O men, to you I cry, and my voice is to the children of men.O men, to you I crie, and my voice is to the children of men.✦O viri, ad vos clamito, et vox mea ad filios hominum.
5O little ones understand astutiam: nicety, fineness of distinction; shrewd practical wisdom, sagacity, and ye unwise mark.O litle ones vnderstand subtiltie, and ye vnwise marke.Intelligite, parvuli, astutiam, et insipientes, animadvertite.
6Hear ye, because I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.Heare ye, because I wil speake of great thinges: and my lippes shal be opened to preach right thinges.✦Audite, quoniam de rebus magnis locutura sum, et aperientur labia mea ut recta prædicent.
7My throat shall meditate truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.My throte shal meditate truth, and my lippes shal detest the impious.✦Veritatem meditabitur guttur meum, et labia mea detestabuntur impium.
8All my words are just, there is no wicked, nor perverse thing in them.Al my wordes are iust, there is no wicked, nor peruerse thing in them.Justi sunt omnes sermones mei : non est in eis pravum quid, neque perversum ;
9They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.They are right to them that vnderstand, and iust to them that finde knowlege.recti sunt intelligentibus, et æqui invenientibus scientiam.
10Receive ye discipline, and not money: choose doctrine rather than gold.Receiue ye discipline, & not money: choose doctrine rather then gold.✦Accipite disciplinam meam, et non pecuniam ; doctrinam magis quam aurum eligite :
11For wisdom is better than all most precious riches: and whatsoever is to be desired can not be compared to it.For wisdom is better then al most precious riches: and whatsoeuer is to be desired can not be compared to it.melior est enim sapientia cunctis pretiosissimis, et omne desiderabile ei non potest comparari.
12I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned cogitationibus: thoughts, the deliberate reflections of the mind.I wisdome dwel in counsel, and am present in lerned cogitations.✦Ego sapientia, habito in consilio, et eruditis intersum cogitationibus.
13The fear of our Lord hateth evil: arrogancy, and pride, and wicked way, and a double tongued mouth I do detest.The feare of our Lord hateth euil: arrogancie, and pride, and wicked way, and a duble roungued mouth I doe detest.✦Timor Domini odit malum : arrogantiam, et superbiam, et viam pravam, et os bilingue, detestor.
14Mine is counsel and equity, prudence is mine, strength is mine.Myne is counsel & equitie, prudence is mine, strength is mine.✦Meum est consilium et æquitas ; mea est prudentia, mea est fortitudo.
15By me kings do reign, and the makers of law decree just things.By me kinges doe reigne, and the makers of law decree iust thinges.✦Per me reges regnant, et legum conditores justa decernunt ;
16By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.By me princes rule, and the mightie decree iustice.per me principes imperant, et potentes decernunt justitiam.
17I love them that love me: and they that watch toward me shall find me.I loue them that loue me: and they that watch toward me shal finde me.✦Ego diligentes me diligo, et qui mane vigilant ad me, invenient me.
18With me are riches, and glory, glorious riches, and justice.With me are riches, and glorie, glorious riches, and iustice.✦Mecum sunt divitiæ et gloria, opes superbæ et justitia.
19For my fruit is better than gold, and precious stone, and my blossoms than chosen silver.For my fruite is better then gold, and precious stone, and my blosomes then chosen siluer.✦Melior est enim fructus meus auro et lapide pretioso, et genimina mea argento electo.
20I walk in the ways of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgement,I walke in the wayes of iustice, in the middes of the pathes of iudgement,✦In viis justitiæ ambulo, in medio semitarum judicii :
21that I may enrich them that love me, and may repleam: restock, refill what was depleted; fill full, fill completely their treasures.that I may enriche them that loue me, and may replenish their treasures.ut ditem diligentes me, et thesauros eorum repleam.
22Our Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he had made any thing from the beginning.Our Lord possessed me in the beginning of his wayes, before he had made any thing from the beginning.✦Dominus possedit me in initio viarum suarum antequam quidquam faceret a principio.
23From eternity I was ordained and of old before the earth was made.From eternitie I was ordayned & of old before the earth was made.✦Ab æterno ordinata sum, et ex antiquis antequam terra fieret.
24The depths were not as yet, and I was now conceived, neither had the fountains of waters as yet gushed forth:The depthes were not as yet, and I was now conceiued, neither had the fountaines of waters as yet gushed forth:✦Nondum erant abyssi, et ego jam concepta eram : necdum fontes aquarum eruperant,
25the mountains with heavy hugeness stood not as yet: before the little hills I was brought forth:the mountaines with heauie hugenesse stoode not as yet: before the litle hilles I was brought forth:necdum montes gravi mole constiterant : ante colles ego parturiebar.
26he had not yet made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the round world.he had not yet made the earth, and the riuers, and the poles of the round world.✦Adhuc terram non fecerat, et flumina, et cardines orbis terræ.
27When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law, and circuit he vallabat: attained, or measured with an instrument; encircled, went round about, enclosed the depths:When he prepared the heauens, I was present: when with a certaine law, and circuite he compassed the depthes:✦Quando præparabat cælos, aderam ; quando certa lege et gyro vallabat abyssos ;
28When he established the firmament above, and librabat: held poised, balanced ready; weighed, held in equilibrium the fountains of waters:When he established the firmament aboue, & poysed the fountaines of waters:✦quando æthera firmabat sursum, et librabat fontes aquarum ;
29when he compassed the sea with her limits, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their bounds: when he hanged the foundations of the earth.when he compassed the sea with her limites, and set a law to the waters that they should not passe their boundes: when he hanged the foundations of the earth.quando circumdabat mari terminum suum, et legem ponebat aquis, ne transirent fines suos ; quando appendebat fundamenta terræ :
30I was with him, framing all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all time;I was with him, framing al thinges: and was delighted euerie day, playing before him at al time;✦cum eo eram, cuncta componens. Et delectabar per singulos dies, ludens coram eo omni tempore,
31playing in the world: and my delights to be with the children of men.playing in the world: & my delights to be with the children of men.ludens in orbe terrarum ; et deliciæ meæ esse cum filiis hominum.
32Now therefore children hear me: blessed are they, that keep my ways.Now therfore children heare me: blessed are they, that keepe my wayes.✦Nunc ergo, filii, audite me : beati qui custodiunt vias meas.
33Hear ye discipline, and be wise, and reject it not.Heare ye discipline, and be wise, and reiect it not.Audite disciplinam, et estote sapientes, et nolite abjicere eam.
34Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth at my doors daily, and waiteth at the posts of my door.Blessed is the man that heareth me, & that watcheth at my dores dayly, & wayteth at the postes of my doore.Beatus homo qui audit me, et qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, et observat ad postes ostii mei.
35He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall draw salvation of our Lord:He that shal finde me, shal finde life, and shal draw saluation of our Lord:Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino.
36but he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me, love death.but he that shal sinne against me, shal hurt his owne soule. Al that hate me, loue death.Qui autem in me peccaverit, lædet animam suam ; omnes qui me oderunt diligunt mortem.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.